The Commandant General (CG), of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi, has ordered the removal of the Rivers State Commandant, Micheal Ogar, over the command’s faceoff with members of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).
A statement on Thursday by Commandant Olusola Odumosu, the spokesman of the Corps, disclosed that the CG also directed Ogar to hand over the affairs of the Command to his Deputy, pending the deployment of a substantive State Commandant.
The statement said a high-powered investigation panel has been constituted by the CG to look into the circumstances leading to the blockage of the entrance of the Rivers State Command of the NSCDC, located at Olu Obasanjo way, GRA, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Wednesday.
The committee headed by the DCG in charge of Operations, Dauda Mungadi, is to objectively investigate the role played by the State Commandant and members of the command Anti-vandal team in the crisis.
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Angry petroleum tanker drivers in the early hours of Wednesday blocked the entrance gate of the NSCDC Command in Port Harcourt.
The protesting tanker drivers were demanding the release of four of their trucks seized by officials of the command in August last year.
One of the protesting drivers, Gift Nmadu, said: “The trucks had genuine clearance from the PPMC depot and the drivers concerned showed them all the papers but they went ahead to confiscate the trucks. We are here to press home our demand that they should release the trucks.”
However, the NSCDC CG expressed shock at the action taken by NUPENG, saying it painted a surprising scenario and an unwarranted contradiction to the ideals of the Corps.
Dr Audi noted that any breach of trust or suspected compromise by any personnel would not be treated with kid’s gloves.
He said: “I have constituted a high-powered committee to carry out a full-scale investigation into the incident in Port Harcourt.
“Nigerians are fully aware that we are the lead agency in the protection of critical government assets and infrastructure.
“Therefore, under my watch, no act of indiscipline, compromise, or sabotage would be condoned from anyone within and outside the Corps.
“I have given the committee a marching order to ascertain the role played by either of the parties and anyone found guilty would be severely dealt with in accordance with the provisions of the law.”
The CG recently summoned Niger Delta State Commandants to Abuja, to charge them on the need to rejig their anti-vandal units in line with Mr President’s order to stop oil theft and other criminal activities within the sector.
He expressed confidence in the ability of the committee to carry out an unbiased investigation and appealed to members of the public and all interested stakeholders to await the outcome of the investigation and proposed recommendations.
The CG assured that NSCDC will continue to sanitise the oil sector by waging war against oil thieves and illegal oil bunkers sabotaging the nation’s economy.
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